Edition 16 Mar Menor Focus February 2010

IssIssuu e 16e 16February 2010February 2010

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In San Javier



I live in the inland town of Pinoso, which is justin the Alicante province, a few kilometres fromthe borders of Murcia and about an hour and ahalf drive from Lo Pagan.

The town of Pinoso has some interesting history.with traces of Iberians, Muslims and Romans inthe area. During Roman times, agriculture and winemaking was developed.In 1296, James II made the region part of theKingdom of Aragon.During the Muslim occupation, Pinoso was ascattering of farms, with a main settlementcalled 'Casas de Costa'; this was the rural areaof neighbouring Monovar. In 1773 the name ofthe town was changed to Pinoso.On 12th February 1826, King Edward VIIgranted the village its own royal charter andPinoso became independent from Monovar.

On the Sunday near to the 12th. February,Pinoso now celebrates 'Day of the Village'. DiaDel Villazgo (Valencian) - Independence Day!During the day, the Town Hall square (Plaza deEspaña) and surrounding streets are closed totraffic. Many side stalls are erected for towns-folk to sell their crafts and local produce, suchas sausage, home made pastas, pastries and ofcourse the locally produced wine.

You will also find a stage, where at differenttimes throughout the day, you can see displaysof dancing, or listen to the Pinoso Band, UnionLirica Pinosense.

Most stallholders will dress up in costumesfrom a bygone age. You can find displays of thehistory of the town, with implements that havebeen in use for over 150 years, such as kitchenutensils, agricultural tools and so on.

This year, the Day of the Village will be held onSunday, 7th February. More information can beobtained at the website of Pinoso town hall,www.pinoso.org. or the tourist informationwebsite: www.pinosoturismo.es. It is an interesting and entertaining day out.Following on from this, on the 13th FebruaryPinoso will hold a Carnival day. People fromall over the town will dress in all manner ofdifferent costumes that they have designedthemselves, and there will be a parade throughthe town.

This is a day of partying, with a prize givingceremony for the best costumes held in themunicipal gardens afterwards. For anyone whohas not seen a parade of this kind, it is differentto the Moors & Christians parades and wellworth a visit.

I attended both of these functions in 2008 &2009, the weather was good, and the people ofPinoso know how to put on a good show.

by David Billington

Pinoso ‘Day of the Village’7th February 2010


Bullfighting in SpainBullfighting in Spainseems to have its ori-gins during the 8 longcenturies of theSpanish War ofReconquest (711-1492A.D.) when theknights of both theMoors and Christianswould organize hunt-ing competitions as arespite from killing each other and theysoon realized that of all the prey theIberian bull offered the greatest chal-lenge as, unlike other animals it pre-ferred to die fighting rather than fleeing.

It seems probable that a nobleman cap-tured a few of these brave beasts andtook them to his village in order to recre-ate the thrill of the hunt before hisadmiring subjects. Thus some remotepart of Medieval Spain saw the origins ofwhat is today the national Spanish spec-tacle of bullfighting.

The history of bullfighting recalls thatthe first real bullfight, or corrida, tookplace in 1133 at Vera, Logroño in honourof the coronation of King Alfonso VIII.From then on they became a popularpasstime at many important events andcontinued after the wars of reconquesthad finished, offering noblemen an outletto demonstrate the zeal and daring withwhich he defeated the Moors.King Philip II however found the specta-cle disgusting and enlisted the help ofPope Pius V to get it banned by papeldecree. This, together with the growingpleasures to be had at the royal courtresulted in the nobility giving up theirinterest in bullfighting, but not so thepeasantry who took it enthusiastically toheart and it thus became a symbol ofsomething genuinely Spanish.

By 1726 they were ready to adopt theirfirst bullfighting hero in the form of

Francisco Romero fromRonda. He was a man ofhumble origins who becamethe first professional bull-fighter in Spain. With himthe corrida developed into

more of an art form. He introduced theestoque, sword, and the muleta, the smallcape used in the last part of the fight as itis more easily wielded.

The Modern Corrida.Today’s bullfight is much as it was devel-oped in the time of Romero. Normally 6bulls and three matadors are required foran afternoons corrida. The three mata-dors dressed in their trajes de luces (suitof lights) enter the arena accompanied bytheir banderilleros and picadors and thestrains of a traditional paso doble. Thedoor to the totil, or bull pen, is openedand one of the bulls emerges.

The matador greets it with a series ofmanoeuvres, or passes, with a large cape;these passes are usually verónicas, thebasic cape manoeuvre (named after thewoman who held out a cloth to Christ onhis way to the crucifixion). Contrary topopular believe bulls are actually colourblind and they go for the cape notbecause it is red but because it is moving.

The second part of the bullfight is the jobof the mounted picadors who lance thebull, normally three times. Then a trum-pet blows and the banderilleros on footmove in to place their banderillas(brightly coloured barbed sticks) in thebeast's shoulders to get it to lower it'shead for the kill. After this a furthertrumpet sounds which signals the faenaor final phase of the bullfight. The cloth


of the muleta is draped over the estoqueand here the matador shows his skill inthe passes that he makes.These consist of the trincherazo which isnormally the opening pass performed onone knee then there is the pase de lafirma in which the matador remainsmotionless whilst passing the clothunder the bulls nose. The manoletinainvolves holding the muleta behind thebody and the natural pass is one inwhich the danger to the matador isincreased as the estoque is removedfrom the muleta this reduces the targetsize and tempting the bull to charge atthe larger object—the bullfighter.After performing these passes for sever-al minutes during which time the mata-dor tries to excite the crowd by movingcloser and closer to the horns, he finallylines up the bull for the kill.

The blade has to pass between the shoul-der blades and as the space betweenthem is small the feet of the bull have tobe together as the bullfighter rushesover the horns. The kill is properly per-formed by aiming straight over the bull'shorns and plunging the estoque betweenthe withers into the region ofthe aorta. This requires con-siderable skill and discipline,not to mention a certainamount of raw courage, andfor this reason is known as"el momento de la verdad" orthe moment of truth.by Ruth Polak www.costadelsol-vacationrentals.com

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Around and Around we goIndicators and Roundabouts, two subjects that are a sure fire wayto break the ice and build up a bond with any expat in any baracross the country. Most expats have tales of Spanish driverscutting them off, swerving in front of them, indicating right andturning left and so the story continues. It's a hot bed for discus-sion and open to a variety of interpretations, and that's where theproblem mostly lies.The problem can possibly be traced back to the days of Franco, when Spain had few if any dualcarriageways and no roundabouts at all. Since joining the EEC (today's EU) and receiving moneyfor improvements to the crumbling infrastructure of the country, successive governments haveploughed billions of Euros into improving Spain's roads. However, although new legislation keepsbeing added to Spain's Highway Code (codigo de la circulación - available at most good SpanishBookshops) the problem exists in that generation after generation in Spain passed their drivingtests, some without ever even having seen a roundabout! Thus, there is much confusion, not justamongst the Spanish but also the 140 or more nationalities that live here who also may have beentaught a different way to negotiate roundabouts. The best rule is that when driving in Spain, expectthe unexpected, assume nothing and drive defensively.Bearing in mind that the person in front of you will do as they please any-way, what actually are the laws of the land should you be involved inan altercation? Whose insurance company will pay for the damage? Unlike any other intersection, roundabouts give us four options: Case 1. We continue straight (the second exit)Case 2. We take the first exit off the roundabout (right)Case 3. We leave the third exit from the roundabout (left)Case 4. We go all the way around to the left to make a U-turn.Case 1. You should be in the right hand lane to continue through the roundabout.Case 2. You should be in the right hand lane and take the first exit.Case 3. You should be in the left hand lane when you reach the roundabout, indicate left and afterpassing the second exit (straight ahead) indicate right and exit.Case 4. As turning left except you indicate right after the third exit.

But, we all know that in Spain the danger is that someone in the right hand lane will want to turnleft. They may or may not use their indicators to complete this manoeuvre! If you are in the leftlane, you must drive defensively otherwise there is a chance that you may be hit by the driver onthe right who 'assumes' that they have the right of way or they cut you off and you run the chanceof driving into the side of their car or slamming on your brakes only to be tailgated by the carbehind!One problem in the case of an accident is the interpretation of the law. If the driver turning leftfrom the right lane is Spanish and the Police are called, much of the blame may lie with the inter-pretation of the rules, rather than what the law states. Even if you are in the right, if you are notcarrying all the correct documentation in your car, you can find yourself at fault and paying forthe accident that another driver caused.Thus, it's still very much a grey area as to who may end up being blamed for an accident. If you arein the right hand lane and going straight ahead, you will be correct and an accident shall be avoid-ed. Drive defensively at all times and expect that at sometime someone in the right hand lane willwant to exit to the left no matter how much this manoeuvre does not make any common sense toyou or I. Happy motoring. Drive safely in 2010.Keith Nicol




The aim of the sudoku puzzle is to insertnumbers in the boxes so that:each row, column and 3x3 boxcontain one each of the digits 1-9

sudoku

A Codebreaker is a crosswordpuzzle with no clues! Instead,every letter of the alphabet hasbeen replaced by a number,the same number representingthe same letter throughout thepuzzle. All you have to do isdecide which letter is repre-sented by which number! Tostart you off, we reveal thecodes for two or three letters.When these letters have beenentered throughout the puzzle,you should have enough infor-mation to start guessing wordsand discovering other letters.

Codebreaker

A B C D E F G H I J K L MN O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

TIME FOR A BREAK


A finer way to pay penaltiesExpats that have a valid Spanish driving licence andthose that have successfully transferred their over-seas licence to comply with regulations here in Spaincan now pay traffic fines at the touch of a button.

Since May last year, the Dirección General deTráfico (DGT) has made it possible for nationals andforeigners alike to pay fines for their driving offencesvia the internet, wherever they may be 24/7.

Although not in English, the DGT´s website found at www.dgt.es offers drivers the optionto pay their penalties online with a credit or debit card in the comfort of their own homes,rather than via the traditional route of visiting a Banco Santander branch, the post office(Correos) or a local Jefatura de Tráfico office.

What’s more – and provided that the driving licence has not been withdrawn for theinfraction of a serious offence – a 30% discount is available for those that pay thepenalty within 30 days of receiving the fine.

If you wish to pay your fines online, here’s how to do it:

1)

2)

3)

4)

However, those that have cover with Línea Directa, Spain’s largest direct line insuranceprovider that offers its expatriate customers ALL documentation and services in English,have yet another option. With motor cover from Línea Directa, all policy holders are ableto leave the management of their fines and relevant legal matters in relation to roadtraffic accidents in their hands, and at no extra cost.

Without a doubt, this market leader within the expat sector is very much committed to itsforeign customers. Not only does its highly trained bilingual staff speak a language thatits policy holders understand, but in the case of an accident or the management of fines,Línea Directa has a dedicated team of professionals that are available to provide assis-tance and carry out all necessary procedures as smoothly and as quickly as possible.

To find out more about Línea Directa and its comprehensive and very competitivemotor insurance policies, call 902 123 104.

Access the DGT´s website at www.dgt.es and enter the 'Trámites y Multas'section located on the left hand menu.

Select the fourth option on the sub-menu (¿Alguna Multa?) and subsequently,"Pago de Multas".

Select option A - this will allow you to pay the fine without a Digital Certificateor Electronic ID Number.

Now enter the following information in this exact order to receive a receipt ofpayment: document type, document number, first name, 1st surname, 2nd sur-name, record/file number and the total amount of the fine.






Clodagh and Dick are authors of three books: 'Your Garden in Spain', 'Growing Healthy Fruit in Spain' and 'Growing Healthy Vegetables in Spain'.

These can be obtained from bookshops and via www.santanabooks.com or - www.gardeninginspain.com.

Feed the Soil not the PlantsFeed the Soil not the PlantsBy Clodagh and Dick Handscombe,

Practical gardeners & authors, living in Spain for twenty five years.

Now is a good time for the annual gardencleanup and also to start preparing your soil forSpring plantings. This is important for flower-ing plants, herbs, flowering and fruiting shrubs,trees and vegetables, whether grown in theopen garden or in containers.

Improvement entails adding sand to open upheavy clay soils, composts and peat to improvethe water absorbing capacity and humus con-tent and well rotted wet or dried animalmanures to enrich the soil. Bags of worm com-post, compost including sea weed from the EcoParks that are springing up around the countryare also excellent soil improvers. If you have avery poor soil add 40% by volume of the aboveadditives to 60% of the original soil.Something we learned on a study tour to Cubaa few years ago. Soil in containers should bemixed on a similar basis.

If you do this the critical development of rootballs will be accelerated, green growth willgrow steadily and healthily and you will notneed to resort to the use of fast acting chemicalfertilizers to maintain plant growth. This hastwo benefits, Firstly you will not need to storepotentially hazardous materials, which is espe-cially important if you have children and petsin the household.Secondly you will not stimulate unnecessarilyfast weak growth that is susceptible to attacksby pests and diseases.

There are two other soil additives worth con-sidering namely neem powder from Trabewww.trabe.net and Terracottem soil condition-er www.terravida.com. The first acts as a gen-

tle fertilizer and controller of snails and slugswhile the second has the power to improve themoisture holding capacity of the soil by 200%reducing the extent and frequency of wateringrequired.

If you have inherited a fully stocked gardenthat struggles to survive the summer we sug-gest that you improve the soil around the plantsdown to the depth of the bottom of the root ballto improve their chances of long term survivaland continuing good crops of flowers, fruit andvegetables.

Luckily the soil is currently in good conditionto carry out the above tasks. Do them manual-ly using mattocks rather than spades and forksif you have a relatively small area of soil toprepare. If a larger area reduce the back achingwork by buying a small rotovator or hiring thevillage mechanical plough. Or perhaps you arelucky that your village still has a working muleor donkey for hire. A way of preserving rural

practices, minimising the compression of thesoil and with luck getting some free manure inthe process. Offer to give the animal a goodfeed before it starts to work - this mightincrease the extent of the manure bonus!


The FThe Fun Quizun QuizWho Said It?Who Said It?

1. "Helping people in need is a good andessential part of my life, a kind of destiny".Which iconic Royal said this?

a) Princess Anneb) Princess Margaretc) Princess Diana d) Princess Michael of Kent

2. "Trust in God. She will provide". Whichcontroversial Victorian woman activist saidthese words?

a) Florence Nightingaleb) Emmeline Pankhurstc) Queen Victoriad) Elizabeth Garrett Anderson

3. "I am extraordinarily patient, providing I getmy own way in the end". These words werespoken by which 20th century Prime Minister?

a) Winston Churchillb) Margaret Thatcherc) Tony Blaird) Harold Wilson

4. "I spent 90% of my money on women anddrink. The rest I wasted". Which football legendsaid those immortal lines?

a) David Beckham b) Paul Gascoignec) Bobby Charlton d) George Best

5. "I am not a heavy drinker, I can sometimesgo for hours without touching a drop". WhichEnglish actor and playwright said that?

a) Ivor Novello b) Noel Cowardc) Alfred Lunt d) Laurence Olivier

6. A great soldier and statesman said "Publishand be damned!". Who was he?

. a)Sir Thomas Fairfaxb) Sir Winston Churchillc) Duke of Wellingtond) Sir Philip Sidney

7. "The best research for playing a drunk is beinga British actor for 20 years". Who said this?

a) Sean Conneryb) Oliver Reedc) Michael Cained) Roger Moore

8. "The great thing about Glasgow is that ifthere's a nuclear attack it'll look exactly thesame afterwards". Which much travelledScottish comedian is responsible for that quote?

a) Billy Connollyb) Robbie Coltranec) Rory Bremnerd) Jimmy Logan.

9. "We are all in the gutter, but some of us arelooking at the stars". Which famous Irishdramatist and poet said this?

a) W.B.Yeatsb) Sean O'Caseyc) G.Bernard Shawd) Oscar Wilde

10. "If I have been able to see further, it wasonly because I stood on the shoulders ofgiants." Which great Englishman said thesewords?

a) Edmund Halleyb) Thomas Youngc) Isaac Newtond) Charles Darwin

1) c. Princess Diana. 2) b. Emmeline Pankhurst. 3) b. Margaret Thatcher. 4) d. George Best. 5) b. Noel Coward. 6) c. Duke of Wellington. 7) c. Michael Caine. 8) a.Billy Connolly 9) d. Oscar Wilde. 10) c. Isaac Newton.Answers


La Manga - Santiago de la Ribera Ferry Winter timetableLa Manga Santiago deTomas maestre la Ribera

10.3012.3014.3016.30

11.3013.3015.3017.30

Monday to Saturday


Preparation Time: 15 mins - Cooking Time: 20 minutes. - Servings: 2 tapas portions

INGREDIENTS

8oz minced beef 1 medium onion 3 garlic cloves 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon dried thyme (2 teaspoons if chopped fresh) 1 teaspoon dried rosemary (2 teaspoons if chopped fresh) 3 ripe tomatoes 2 tablespoons of red or white wine 1 heaped tablespoon of concentrated tomato puree 2 tablespoons of olive oil Salt and pepper

Preparation

Finely chop the onions, garlic & herbs (if using fresh)Grate the Parmesan cheese.Liquidise (or chop) the tomatoes.

Place the minced beef, onions, garlic, Parmesan cheese and thyme in a large bowl. Sprinklewith a good portion of salt and pepper. Mix all the ingredients together with your hands.Take a chunk of the mixture and form into a ball, about the size of a golf ball. Make sure that youfirm each of them together well. This will stop them falling apart when they are being cooked.

Pour the olive oil into a frying pan on a medium to low heat. Add the meatballs and cook forabout five minutes. Turn the meatballs frequently whilst cooking to ensure that they are cookedon all sides. Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, wine and rosemary plus some salt and pepper. Cookfor 15 minutes turning occasionally.

Serve hot into dishes and sprinkle some rosemary or parsley over the meatballs.

Spanish Meatballs inTomato Sauce

Local MarketLocal MarketssMondaySan Pedro del PinatarSucinaTuesdayLos BelonesLa UnionPilar de la HoradadaLos AlcazeresMil PalmerasWednesdaySantiago de la RiberaSan Javier

San Javier Autocine(car boot sale)ThursdayLos UrrutiasLa palmaTorre Pacheco (Balsicas)San Pedro del Pinatar (Lo Pagan)FridayEl AlgarLlano del BealPilar de la Horadada

SaturdayLos Alcázeres (Los Narejos)Torre Pacheco (Dolores)San Javier Autocine -car bootSundayCabo de PalosLos NietosSan Javier AutocineTorre Pacheco (Roldán)


Across1 12thC Muslim leader who recap-tured Jerusalem from the Crusaders(7) 5 Starred in Sophie's Choice andThe River Wild (5,6) 11 Radio operator's acknowledge-ment of a message (5) 12 Person trained in ancientJapanese martial arts for assassina-tion work (5) 13 Small salamanders (5) 14 US tennis player, winner of 14Grand Slam singles titles (4,7) 15 Dirk, starred in Death in Venice(7) 16 19thC English novelist, __Gaskell (9) 17 Precious stone set by itself – ora card game (9) 19 Hypothesis that the universewas created by a cosmic explosion(3,4,6) 21 e.g. liquid part of vegetable orfruit (5)

22 Clear fluid separated out fromclotted blood, possibly used asimmunizer (5) 24 A collector of butterflies andmoths (13) 27 Composer of Mull of Kintyre (9) 29 Roger, British runner who broke4- minute mile in 1954 (9) 31 Official name of the British royalfamily (7) 32 Emotional disorder, syndromenamed after German baron story-teller (11) 33 Marine barriers formed byskeletal deposits (5) 34 Brazilian city, founded onChristmas Day 1597; also formerprovince of South Africa (5) 35 Person who conducts travellers,etc. (5) 36 Branch of science concernedwith skin (11) 37 Henry David, 19thC US essay-ist, poet and philosopher (7)

Down1 Disease of sheep characterisedby lack of co-ordination (7) 2 Phenomenon caused by electri-cal discharge from clouds (9) 3 Tanzania's largest city and for-mer capital (3,2,6) 4 Bavarian city, site of 'war crimi-nal' trials in 1945 (9) 5 Sole hereditary head of state,and name of a butterfly (7) 6 Characters of the earliestGermanic alphabet (5) 7 Stagename of 1930-40s USfolk- blues singer (9) 8 West Side Story song or DavidBowie's No.1 album (7) 9 King of England 1327-77, initiat-ed the Hundred Years War (6,3) 10 Ski run of compacted snow (5) 17 e.g. a rapier or a claymore (5) 18 Chris, ranked World No.1 ten-nis player five times (5) 19 Broom made of twigs tiedround a stick (5)

20 1960s youth, rejecting conven-tional middle-class values (5) 21 1930-50s US baseball player,once married to Marilyn Monroe(3,8) 23 A teller of anecdotes (9) 24 Italian Baroque painter, espe-cially of church ceilings (anag. ofacorn flan!) (9) 25 One who believes God is presentin all of nature and the universe (9)26 Lower part of the alimentarycanal (9) 28 Antarctic inlet of the SouthPacific, named after 19thC Englishexplorer (4,3) 29 British car manufacturer, winnerof Le Mans 1927-30 (7) 30 Poem of 10 or 13 lines and onlytwo rhymes (7) 31 What the first 'W' of the WWForganisation stands for (5) 32 Short expression of a guidingprinciple (5)

TIME FOR A BREAK


John and I decided to celebrate Christmas andNew Year Spanish-style. Not that we had muchchoice, as most shops, bars and restaurants inJumilla closed early on (Nochebuena)Christmas Eve and (Nochevieja) New Year'sEve so that staff could be at home with theirfamilies. Seafood plays an important part in any SpanishChristmas Eve, so I dutifully queued at the fishcounter in Consum, pleased that there weren'ttoo many people ahead of me. Of course I had-n't allowed for the vast quantity of seafood thateach individual was buying while I waited topurchase my miserly half kilo of langostinos!

Christmas Day was so warm that we were ableto sit out on our balcony enjoying a glass ofcava before heading for Restaurante SanAgustin for lunch at 2pm. John had roast kidwhile I chose monkfish in cava from the wideselection of appetising dishes. The restaurantand bar were packed with other couples andfamilies enjoying their Christmas lunch andwishing each other "Feliz Navidad".

It was strange to find all the shops open onBoxing Day, which is a normal working dayhere. My daughter Vicky and her husband Ivanhad arrived to spend a few days with us. Wedragged them out at 10pm on Boxing Day toLos Chilines, a local wine shop, for a cava andchocolate tasting. Not that they were complain-ing - especially with the delicious home-madechocolates that were being handed out!

We enjoyed the New Year's Eve concert outsidethe Teatro Vico, where the local youth bandplayed familiar melodies such as Jingle Bells,White Christmas and Silent Night as well aspasodobles. Luckily the sun shone down onthem, though their conductor cast a few anxiousglances at the sky as the rain clouds startedgathering.

Our New Year's Eve evening was low-key: wewatched Spanish TV, ate our 12 grapes as thebells chimed midnight in Madrid, toasted each

other with cava, and listened to the fireworksbeing set off to welcome in 2010. We couldhave gone out at 0045 when our local bar wasdue to open, however we decided to draw theline at that. After all, we still had another weekto go!

Los Reyes Magos is the main celebration forSpanish children, although nowadays many ofthem get presents from Papa Noel as well.Children had written their letters earlier and leftthem at the Teatro Vico for their Majesties.Later in the day the Reyes had received theMagic Key from the Mayor, so that they couldenter homes to leave presents for well-behavedchildren. We joined the excited children stand-ing outside the tourist office, to watch the pro-cession setting off at 6pm to parade aroundJumilla. At the back was a lorry bearing pres-ents, followed by one laden with coal for thenaughty children!Los Reyes Magos is closely followed by theFiestas of San Antón and San Sebastián inJanuary and the eagerly awaited Feria delAmor, celebrating Valentine's Day, andCarnaval in February. For more information seehttp://agendadejumilla.blogspot.com/.

INLAND FOCUSby Sue Walker

Retiring The Olé Way is the intimate, honest and inspiring story of Sue and JohnWalker’s move to their new home in rural Southern Spain.

The book is available at Amazon and from all good bookshops, at a cost of £9.99.


Mar Menor Focus Business DirectoryYour business here for just 60 euros a year!

Call Mar Menor Focus on 968 145 572 or email: [email protected]

STARAIR, Air Conditioning Sales, installation& Service, Tel: 679 573 643 (page 27)

CD PROPERTY MANAGEMENT968 563 598 (Page 16)

BAR APICOCO Playa Honda 968 563 958 (Page 17)

BAR EL SOL Plaza CavannaLa Manga Strip, 968 563 899 (back page)

BRAMBLES BAR Playa Honda610 622 249 (page 11)

DOLLY’S BAR, Plaza Bohemia, La Manga 663 608 575

ELVIS’ DINER, Galerias El Flamenco (behind Zoco) 630 466 417 (page 3)

MARTIN’S Restaurant, Calle MayorLos Belones - 651 594 822 (Page 27)

NOBBY’S CANTINA, Nuevo Puerto BelloLa Manga, 968 564 551 (inside back page)

PADDYWACKS IRISH BARLa Manga Strip 968 563 648 (page12)

PEPE’S BAR Mar de Cristal (page 21)

Clinica Dental ALEMANALa Manga 968 175 300

MARUJA Garden Centre/NurseryCabo de Palos Tel 968563 905 (page 27)

SHAPE & TONE - Toning TablesChiropractor - Masseur - Chiropodist,Los Alcazares 661 002 648

TRANQUILITY - Beauty, Body & Nail SalonGalerias El Flamenco, Km 4, La Manga Strip(behind Zocos) 638 300 656 (page 6)

ASSSA INSURANCE - Los Belones968 153 396 (page 9)

DAVID MASON Insurance Services (page 6)Funeral planning (page 12)Los Belones, 968 137 719 / 659 226 112

RICHARD HOWARD Insurance Services,Los Belones 968 13 72 59 (Page 3)email:[email protected]

IBERBRIT LEGAL, La Manga Strip968 337 392 (inside back page)

CD PROPERTY MANAGEMENT & SALES968 563 598 (Page 16)

RESORT CHOICE (Resort La Manga) Mar de Cristal, 968 545 204 (page 5)

EDEN International, Property AgentsLos Carmenes, Gran Via Km 3La Manga, Tel: 0034 968 143 185 (page 18)

OLYMPIEZA, apartment cleaningC/La Loma, Torrevieja, 675 021 669

TOP CLASS MANAGEMENT [email protected] (page 18)

FOCUS PRINT, Full Colour Digital printingLeaflets, business cards, etc.968 145 572 / 667 821 082email: [email protected] (page 2)

AIR CONDITIONING

BABY EQUIPMENT HIRE

HEALTH & BEAUTY

DENTISTS

GARDEN CENTRES

INSURANCE

BARS & RESTAURANTS

LEGAL & FINANCIAL SERVICES

PROPERTY SALES & SERVICES

PRINTING SERVICES


Teeth are important and, just like people, ani-mals benefit from regular dental care. Badteeth heavily coated in plaque (containing bac-teria) can spoil your dog's appetite and mayspread infection elsewhere in the body.

Dirty teeth develop infections at the gum lineand cause a foul smell. The gums recede andthe teeth can loosen. Daily brushing will pre-vent these problems.

First, look inside your pet's mouth. The teethshould be evenly coloured - white or off-white.If they are grey or brown, it may indicateplaque accumulation. Is there an unpleasantodour? Are the gums pink where they meet theteeth or red and inflamed? Do the teeth sur-faces look clean or is there a grey-brown coat-ing, like kettle scale?

Unless the teeth look clean or your dog isunder a year old, have the mouth examined bythe vet first. Plaque in dogs is hardened bysaliva, forming a concrete-like coating.

B r u s h i n gwill notremove thisand it con-tributes tothe accu-mulation offurther plaque. An anaesthetic is necessary tokeep your dog still while the plaque isremoved with an ultrasonic descaler. Themouth can then be examined fully and teethextracted if necessary.Start brushing your dog's teeth from an earlyage, although it is possible to train an olderdog to accept it. Toothbrushes designed forhumans are not ideal. Dogs require a specialbrush and toothpaste from the vet or pet shop.Our toothpaste is too frothy and can causestomach irritation. You can brush withouttoothpaste, but nice tasting toothpaste mayhelp the process. Some toothpastes containchemicals which slow the accumulation ofplaque.

Dental Care for Your Dog

DJ’S MINI MART Los Belones 617 029 321 (page 2)

HONDAMAR SupermercadoPlaya Honda 968 56 43 68 (page 6)THE FURNITURE STORE Poligono Ind. Los Alcazares. 968 582 546 (page 27)

MISSING LINKS (Cornish Pride) (page 18)Los Belones 620 562 973 / 650 267 650

696 BOUTIQUE Nuevo Puerto BelloLa Manga 968 564 879

MARIA LINARES Spanish Lessons968 133 331 / 678 936 110

AQUA ADICTA968 545 193 / 659 434 811 (page 28)

INTERPRETER AvailableSpanish national (10 years in England) withfluent English. For hospitals, doctors, police,banks, solicitors, schools, ITV, etc. Translationof documents. Sympathetic and totally reliable.Cartagena and surrounding areas, Mar Menor,Fuente Alamo, Torre Pacheco. Other areasconsidered. From 15 euros hour. Tel: 968165565 Mob: 626690873 (ask for JOSÉ)

CABO MANGA Ctra Cabo de PalosLa Manga 968 146 364 (page 27)

VALERIE’S NOVIAS, bridal gowns &Accessories, C/Mayor 9, Pilar de Horadada966 766 689 (page 9)

PHOTO VIDEO SPAIN, wedding/eventsKeith Nicol, 609 063 614

SPANISH LESSONS

RETAIL

SPORTS & ACTIVITIES

TRANSLATION SERVICES

VETERINARY SERVICES

WEDDING SERVICES



This week my chosen birds are very hard to spot, you tend to know they are there bytheir song, which means I will have to try and describe how they sing...tricky! Thebirds in question are Warblers; they are all rather small and tend to hang out in reedbeds, bushes and long grass, hence why they are so hard to spot.

Firstly the Zitting Cisticola, (what a name!) origi-nally called the Fan-tailed Warbler (and I'm suremost of you would prefer to go on calling it that).It lives and breeds in the Mar Menor area andenjoys a habitat of long grass or reeds close towater. It nests and feeds within the cover of thegrass and since it is brown and well camouflagedwith black streaks on its back, it disappears intothe undergrowth.

The reason for the new name, Zitting Cisticloa, isthat it is a member of the genus Cisticola and itssong sounds like "zit-zit-zit", or "zeet, zeet, zeet".It sings when in flight, making one single, short,sharp, penetrating note with each swoop. Theyfeed on insects, spiders and seeds.

Another Warbler commonly found in this area is the Cetti's Warbler. Here again thename of the bird is a clue to it's identification as when it sings it makes a loud, metal-lic and explosive, "plit" or "chich". Several notes will always come together in the fol-lowing rhythm, "What's my name, Cetti-cetti-cetti, that's it".

Actually, the bird is named after an Italian zool-ogist Francesco Cetti, however the fact regardingthe rhythm of its song is true, test it!

The Zitting Cisticola tends to make an outburstof song and then move to another location beforeit sings again. It stays very low down within thevegetation as it moves, so you will rarely see it.

The Cetti's Warbler likes to feed and nest indense vegetation close to water, reed beds are atypical habitat. They feed on insects, spiders,snails and seeds.

Lesley Singleton, AQUA ADICTA

Zitting Cisticola

Cetti’s Warbler


I was at the airport, checkingin at the gate when an Irishairport employee asked, 'Hasanyone put anything in yourbaggage without your knowl-edge?'To which I replied, 'If it waswithout my knowledge, howwould I know?'He smiled knowingly andnodded, 'That's why we ask.'

Happened Luton Airport UK

***********When my husband and Iarrived at Our Local Forddealer to pick up our car, wewere told the keys had beenlocked in it. We went to theservice department and founda mechanic working feverish-ly to unlock the drivers sidedoor. As I watched from thepassenger side, I instinctivelytried the door handle and dis-covered that it was unlocked.'Hey,' I announced to theFitter/Mechanic, 'its open!'His reply, 'I know. I alreadydid that side.'

This was at a Ford dealershipin Hertfordshire UK .

***********After stopping for drinks at anillegal bar, a Zimbabwean busdriver found that the 20 men-tal patients he was supposedto be transporting fromHarare to Bulawayo hadescaped. Not wanting toadmit his incompetence, thedriver went to a nearby busstop and offered everyonewaiting there a free ride. Hethen delivered the passengersto the mental hospital, tellingthe staff that the patients werevery excitable and prone to

bizarre fantasies. The deception wasn't discov-ered for 3 days.

A man walked into aLouisiana Circle-K, put a $20bill on the counter, and askedfor change. When the clerkopened the cash drawer, theman pulled a gun and askedfor all the cash in the register,which the clerk promptly pro-vided. The man took the cashfrom the clerk and fled, leav-ing the $20 bill on the count-er. The total amount of cashhe got from the drawer . . $15.(If someone points a gun atyou and gives you money, is acrime committed?)

STAY ALERT!They walk among us... andthe scary part is that is theyhave the RIGHT TO VOTE

and REPRODUCE!

***********Fifty-one years ago, HermanJames, a North Carolinamountain man, was drafted bythe Army.

On the first day in basic train-ing, the Army issued him acomb.

. . . That afternoon, the Armybarber sheared off all his hair.

On the second day, the Armyissued him a toothbrush.

. . . That afternoon the Armydentist yanked out seven ofhis teeth.

On the third day, the Armyissued him a jock strap.

. . . THE ARMY HAS BEENLOOKING FOR HERMANFOR FIFTY-ONE YEARS.

The FThe Fun Spotun Spot

Crossword

Codebreaker

Puzzle

Solutions

Sudoku


EMERGENCY NUMBER - 112Useful NumbersUseful Numbers to kto keep by the phoneeep by the phone

AMBULANCE - 061GUARDIA CIVIL - 062La Manga del Mar Menor 968 563 222 La Unión 968 560 011San Javier 968 335 920San Pedro del Pinatar 968 180 610LOCAL POLICE - 092Cabo de Palos 968 337 238Cartagena 968 128 877El Algar 968 135 695La Manga del Mar Menor 968 337 300 La Unión 968 560 051Los Alcázares 968 171 919San Javier 968 570 880San Pedro del Pinatar 968 188 092NATIONAL POLICE – 091Cartagena 968 320 722FIRE BRIGADE - 112Cartagena 968 128 880Los Alcázares 968 171 782MARITIME EMERGENCIES – 900 202 202MEDICAL CENTRESCosta Calida 968 142 060El Algar 968 135 510La Manga del Mar Menor 968 142 125Lo Pagan 968 184 728Los Alcázares 968 575 800Los Belones 968 137 476Portman 968 548 064San Javier 968 191 866San Pedro del Pinatar 968 187 865

HOSPITALSCartagena: Santa Maria del Rosell 968 325 000Naval Hospital 968 327 400Murcia:Virgen de la Arrixaca 968 369 500J.M. Morales Meseguer 968 360 900San Javier:Los Arcos 968 570 050

AIRPORTS (www.aena.es)Alicante 966 919 000San Javier (Murcia) 968 172 000BUS STATIONSCartagena 968 505 656Murcia 968 292 211San Pedro del Pinatar 968 182 942RAILWAYSFEVE www.feve.es 968 501 172RENFE www.renfe.es 902 240 202UTILITY COMPANIESTelefonica 1004www.telefonica.es www.telefonicainenglish.comIberdrola (Electricity) 901 202 020 www.iberdrola.comAquagest (Cartagena) 968 122 600Aquagest (San Javier) 968 572 112LOCAL TRAFFIC OFFICE(Cartagena) 968 500 883PROVINCIAL TRAFFIC OFFICE(Murcia) 968 256 211ITV Cartagena 968 538 219CORREOS (POST OFFICE)www.correos.esGeneral Information 902 197 197La Manga 968 564 981BRITISH CONSULATE 965 216 022SUPPORT GROUPSMABS cancer support 968 432 525email: [email protected] MMM 968 570 059www.helpmarmenor.orgANIMAL RESCUENoah’s Arc 699 352 818www.noahsarcmurcia

APAH Rescue 630 422 563www.apahrescue.com


Iberbrit LegalSolicitors and Chartered Accountants

CONVEYANCINGMADE SIMPLE.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL:Phone: +34 968 337 392

Fax: +34 968 563 224email: [email protected] - www.iberbrit.com

Conveyancing.Integral Tax advice for Individuals and Companies.Annual Tax returns for property owners.Social Security advice.Spanish Wills.

Preparation of the NIE-Identification number of foreigners.Spanish Residency.Financial advice “Mortgages”Power of Attorney.

OURSERVICES

Iberbrit Legalare located on La Manga Strip at:Gran Via s/n – Km 1.5, Edificio Monterrey – Iberbrit Legal office, PO BOX No. 163 – 30380 La Manga – Cartagena

Documents

Edition 16 Mar Menor Focus February 2010